Proton Beam Therapy as a Nonsurgical Approach to Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck: A Pilot Study

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2010.04.071· OSTI ID:21587696

Zenda, Sadamoto ^[1]; Kawashima, Mitsuhiko; Nishio, Teiji; Kohno, Ryosuke; Nihei, Keiji; Onozawa, Masakatsu; Arahira, Satoko; Ogino, Takashi ^[1]

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1. Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan)

Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the clinical benefit of proton beam therapy for mucosal melanoma of the head and neck. Methods and Materials: Patients with mucosal melanoma of the head and neck with histologically confirmed malignant melanoma and N0 and M0 disease were enrolled. Proton therapy was delivered three times per week with a planned total dose of 60 Gy equivalents (GyE) in 15 fractions. Results: Fourteen consecutive patients were enrolled from January 2004 through February 2008. Patient characteristics were as follows: median age 73 years old (range, 56 to 79 years); male/female ratio, 7/7; and T stage 1/2/3/4, 3/2/0/9. All patients were able to receive the full dose of proton therapy. The most common acute toxicities were mucositis (grade 3, 21%) and mild dermatitis (grade 3, 0%). As for late toxicity, 2 patients had a unilateral decrease in visual acuity, although blindness did not occur. No treatment-related deaths occurred throughout the study. Initial local control rate was 85.7%, and, with a median follow-up period of 36.7 months, median progression-free survival was 25.1 months, and 3-year overall survival rates were 58.0%. The most frequent site of first failure was cervical lymph nodes (6 patients), followed by local failure in 1 patient and lung metastases in 1 patient. On follow-up, 5 patients died of disease, 4 died due to cachexia caused by distant metastases, and 1 patient by carotid artery perforation cause by lymph nodes metastases. Conclusions: Proton beam radiotherapy showed promising local control benefits and would benefit from ongoing clinical study.

• OSTI ID: 21587696
• Journal Information: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Journal Name: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 81; ISSN IOBPD3; ISSN 0360-3016
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ARTERIES
BEAMS
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
CARCINOMAS
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CAROTID ARTERIES
DERMATITIS
DISEASES
DOSES
EPITHELIOMAS
HEAD
LUNGS
LYMPH NODES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MEDICINE
MELANOMAS
METASTASES
NECK
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEON BEAMS
ORGANS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PERFORATION
PROTON BEAMS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SKIN DISEASES
THERAPY
TOXICITY